Novel Opportunities for the Development of Drugs and Biologics in Cancer Supportive Care

May 29, 2013
11:00 am to 12:00 pm EDT

Sponsored by

Symposium Course Description:

While innovative therapeutic options have resulted in increasing successes in cancer treatment, the collateral damage associated with cancer regimen-related toxicities is profound. Almost three quarters of patients undergoing cancer therapy develop treatment-associated side effects of such severity as to negatively impact patients’ ability to tolerate treatment, increase their risk of co-morbidities, and adversely affect quality of life. Additionally, regimen-related toxicities add significantly to the cost of care. Debilitating toxicities such as mucositis, dermatitis, proctitis and fatigue are common consequences of many forms of chemo- or radiation therapy and their sequelae may persist long after active cancer treatment is finished.
Fortunately, there is now widespread interest for the development of interventions that effectively mitigate cancer treatment side effects without disrupting effective tumor kill. Robust predictive animal models that accurately translate to the specific human disease state are essential for the proper development of drugs and biologics. This webinar will review several sophisticated cancer supportive care preclinical models as well as novel approaches which will provide clinical relevance and in return enable a company to confidently characterize the biological outcomes anticipated in humans.

Dr. Sonis is a world-renowned expert in epithelial injury associated with cancer therapy. His development of predictive animal models has enabled the investigation of the biological basis of mucositis and has assisted in the development of potential therapies. The results of his studies on the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of mucositis have established the basis of the mechanistic paradigm for mucosal injury. Dr. Sonis’ interest in the genomic basis for toxicity risk and its pathology has led to innovative genomics-based analytical approaches to clinically actionable outcomes to personalize disease therapy.

Dr. Sonis has published extensively on the clinical, biological, and health economic aspects of cancer and complications associated with its treatment. He is the author of over 200 original publications, reviews and chapters, 9 books, and 5 patents. Dr. Sonis has obtained degrees from Tufts University and Harvard University and completed his post-doctoral education (tumor immunology) at Oxford University. He holds appointments at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (Clinical Professor of Oral Medicine, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity), the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he is Division Chief and Senior Surgeon.

Gregory D. Lyng, Ph.D.

Partner, Director of Research

Biomodels, LLC
313 Pleasant St
Watertown, MA
857-228-1100

As Director of Research, Dr. Lyng is responsible for the oversight of all of Biomodels’ preclinical research programs. Additionally, he works closely with Biomodels’ clients to ensure proper study design and utilization of the most appropriate and clinically relevant models of disease in which to test potential therapeutics. Dr. Lyng’s scientific expertise lies in the areas of inflammatory disease, cancer supportive care, and diseases of the central nervous system. Since joining Biomodels in 2007, he has been instrumental in the expansion of both the number and clinical translatability of the disease models offered by Biomodels.

Dr. Lyng received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University at Albany School of Public Health and his B.S. in Neuroscience from St. Lawrence University.

Jonathan A. Zombeck, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Biomodels, LLC
313 Pleasant St
Watertown, MA
857-228-1100

Dr. Zombeck designs and conducts preclinical research studies of psychiatric and neurological conditions. His scientific expertise lies in the areas of behavioral neuroscience, the development of animal models, and behavioral pharmacology. He is broadly interested in the effects of cancer and cancer therapy on the CNS. Since joining Biomodels, his primary focus has been to develop a model of chemotherapy induced fatigue in mice. Dr. Zombeck received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois and his B.A. in Psychology from Albion College.

Maria L. Mancini, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Biomodels, LLC
313 Pleasant St
Watertown, MA
857-228-1100

In 2011 Dr. Mancini joined Biomodels as a Principal Investigator designing preclinical research studies in the areas of cancer and cancer supportive care, radiation countermeasures, and inflammatory diseases. Her expertise is in tumor biology and cancer signaling pathways and has been working on developing more specialized tumor models for preclinical research.

Dr. Mancini received her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Maine in 2007 in the laboratory of Calvin Vary, PhD. Her doctoral work primarily focused on uncovering novel mechanisms of developmental angiogenesis through the use of genetics based animal models. Maria then accepted a post-doctoral appointment at Harvard Medical School/BIDMC in the laboratory of Alex Toker, Ph.D. from 2007-2011 where she generated a variety of transgenic mouse lines to study PI3K signaling in breast cancer progression.